NAIFA Day on the Hill Podcast
May 1, 2007
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Transcript
Opening Music Plays
HOST: Welcome to NAIFA's podcast. This is Andy Moyer, communications producer for NAIFA.
Today, we have the rare opportunity to accompany some of NAIFA's leaders during their Day on the Hill. In the next few minutes we'll be talking with state execs and presidents from both New York and Illinois on how they prepared for these meetings. Then, we’ll follow them to their appointments with representatives and ask them how they felt the meetings went.
First, let's hear from Mark Yavornitzki, the New York state exec. Mark, what are you expecting to get out of these meetings today?
MARK YAVORNITZKI: One of the things I expect is that we are going to be able to renew relationships that we've made in congressional offices in the past, and perhaps forge some new relationships.
HOST: Mark, I know that you are a seasoned veteran at meeting with these representatives. Can you tell our listening audience a little bit about your past experiences on the Hill and what they can look forward to when meeting with their legislators?
MARK YAVORNITZKI: One of the things I always look forward to at these meetings is the excitement and the hustle and bustle that exists on Capitol Hill. That's really part of the whole process. You're going to see tourists there, lobbyists and groups like ourselves and I think it's very important for people who do this for their association to understand the atmosphere in which their members of Congress and the staff operate.
HOST: Thanks Mark. Also with us today is some of the Illinois delegation, including state exec, Sara Decatoire, and Stephan Holter, President-Elect for NAIFA Chicago Region. Sara, what have you done to prepare for today's meetings?
SARA DECATOIRE: The Illinois delegation has planned for about a month for Day on the Hill activities and that includes making contacts with those legislative staff people that we already have relationships with and want to continue to grow.
HOST: What about you, Steve, are you going into this meeting with specific topics you would like to discuss?
STEPHAN HOLTER: I think what we'll try to accomplish in our visit to the Hill is, first and foremost, thank the congressman for sponsoring Life Insurance Awareness Month. And, also making sure that they understand the importance of the tax advantages that our products offer. Lastly, we just want to stress the importance of long-term savings for retirement and the importance that our clients continue to do that.
HOST: That's great, thanks Steve and good luck in your meeting! While our NAIFA members are meeting with their representatives, here's Jill Edwards from our lobbying staff at NAIFA headquarters to give us a little insight on the importance of meeting with our representatives and senators on Capitol Hill.
JILL EDWARDS: When NAIFA members come to Washington DC, it is critical that they meet with their members of Congress and their senators. Ultimately, NAIFA provides the intelligence, the strategy and the information about what’s important and why it’s important. But we are not the constituents of these members of congress so they need to hear from you, because they need to be able to bring it home and know why it’s important to the members who vote for them.
HOST: That’s certainly an important point Jill. Let’s hold on there for just a moment because Mark Yavornitzki and Andy Kalinowski from New York, just finished meeting with their state representatives. How did everything go gentlemen?
MARK YAVORNITZKI: We were successful in that we were able to take care of four issues and do them in 15 minutes, which is really the recommended time in trying to do one of these visits. NAIFA makes it very easy for us in giving us one-page handouts to leave with the congressperson or staff person. By splitting up the topics among our group, we were able to get the message across.
HOST: Andy, this is your second time here in Washington for NAIFA's Day on the Hill, and I get the feeling that you're ready to come back for more.
ANDY KALINOWSKI: It's quite an experience to see government in action on a federal and national level. To see the politics of the United States come alive and feel the pulse of what's really happening here in Washington is tremendously exciting and I am amazed at how very well we're received by the people we speak to as we address the issues that are of significant concern to the people in the financial services industry.
HOST: And, you met with the Congressman Peter King's aide, is that correct? How did that go?
ANDY KALINOWSKI: The aide that we met took copious notes, was very interested in the positions we put forward, gave us information that his office was in agreement with two of the positions we put forward, and asked to continue to be informed as these issues further develop so that they can make intelligent conclusions based on how they vote. Also, we were able to ask for support for Life Insurance Awareness Month and that support was offered as well. So I was very well pleased with the entire meeting.
HOST: While Andy and Mark were meeting with Peter King’s office staff, Sara Decatoire and Jim Shalek, President-Elect for NAIFA Illinois were meeting with Peter Roskam's Legislative Director, Victoria Sanville. Sara, as you know, this year in Sept., NAIFA’s convention is going to be held in Washington DC with one day set aside for a mass Day on the Hill. What would you say to our members who have not participated in an event like this. What do they stand to gain from it?
SARA DECATOIRE: We spent a lot of time today setting up our meetings coming up Sept 11 of 2007 in conjunction with the 2007 NAIFA convention. We're excited to bring all of our 70 or 80 delegates back to Washington DC at that time to join along with all the other national delegates. One of the things our members will get out of this when they come NAIFA to in September is the real contact with the staffers. And to know how important and how much the staffers and the congressmen really appreciate our input and our visit to them.
HOST: You’re right Sara, putting a face on our association is really important. Jill, do you have anything to add to Sara's comment about the importance of our membership getting involved in advocacy on the state level?
JILL EDWARDS: Absolutely, the state level advocacy efforts are really the grassroots efforts for NAIFA. Our legislative efforts are not complete without the grassroots portion of it. When our members come to Washington, and they do a day on the Hill and we have, like we will in September 2500 NAIFA members, that’s great and that speaks volumes. But it’s also the day to day that’s equally important. And that’s why we need our members to respond to action alerts by using NAIFA’s legislation action center, to send op eds to your local news papers, to foster those relationships with members of congress and your senators at the state level through our political involvement committee. All of them are critical parts to our NAIFA advocacy efforts.
HOST: Thanks Jill, that's an excellent point. Maintaining good and consistent relations with our elected officials through local meetings is key to helping them understand the insurance issues they’ll be voting on. We thank the delegations from both Illinois and New York for allowing us to follow them as they participated in their day on the hill. And we hope you've enjoyed this rare opportunity to get a closer look at NAIFA's active participation in our legislative affairs. You can get involved today by accessing the Legislative Action Center through NAIFA’s website at http://www.naifa.org/advocacy.
This 2007 podcast is a copyrighted production of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors. All rights are reserved.
Closing Music Plays.
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